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The MetBase Library of Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences is the largest privately owned library of its kind. It is located in the heart of Bremen and open to researchers upon appointment. It presently hosts approximately 50,000 articles, abstracts, catalogs, special publications and books on:

A selection of early books and prints on meteorites from the MetBase Library is presented below. Most are important works for the understanding of meteorites and history of meteoritics; others are rather curious or stange treatises.

The earliest print in the library dates back to 1493. It contains a woodcut of the fall of the Ensisheim meteorite (see picture below)

1802 - Chemical Composition of Meteorites:

An important study on the chemical composition of meteorites: E.C.Howard (1802) Experiments and observations on certain stony and metalline substances which at different times are said to have fallen on the earth; also on various kinds of native iron. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, vol. 92, no. 1, pp. 168-212.

1819 - History of Meteorites and its Literature:

Chladni's synthesis of 25 years work on meteorites: still an important source for early literature on meteorites and meteors: E.F.F.Chladni (1819) Über Feuer-Meteore, und über die mit denselben herabgefallenen Massen, Wien: J.G.Heubner, 434 pp.

1819 - Chladni's Letter to the Publisher:

E.F.F.Chladni: Letter to publisher J.G.Heubner in Vienna, suggesting terms and conditions in connection with the publication of his book "Feuermeteore", 1819.